Radiation Safety Training for Non-Radiat

Radiation Safety Training for Non-Radiation Workers in a Radioactive Material Use Site. : 

Radiation Safety Training for Non-Radiation Workers in a Radioactive Material Use Site. Presented by: JC Educational Productions Informational CD

This information should be presented to non-radiation workers who work in close proximity to a nuclear medicine restricted area. This includes surrounding office personnel, nurses and\or any person who may have access to radioactive material use areas or containers of radioactive materials.The contents of this instruction may be reviewed on a routine basis and should be part of the initial orientation process for new hires. Satisfactory completion of the quiz contained at the end of the presentation should be maintained in a file in case a Department of State Health Services Inspector requests documentation of instruction to workers. It is the licensee’s responsibility to ensure that non-radiation workers are made aware of potential risks and understand the necessity to maintain security over radioactive materials. Non-radiation workers “may” be interviewed by inspectors. That is at the sole discretion of the inspector. This presentation attempts to review information that is pertinent to diagnostic nuclear medicine operation but JC Educational Productions is not responsible for items that may be an issue with individual inspectors. Performance based inspections have the potential to be ambiguous. : 

This information should be presented to non-radiation workers who work in close proximity to a nuclear medicine restricted area. This includes surrounding office personnel, nurses and\or any person who may have access to radioactive material use areas or containers of radioactive materials.The contents of this instruction may be reviewed on a routine basis and should be part of the initial orientation process for new hires. Satisfactory completion of the quiz contained at the end of the presentation should be maintained in a file in case a Department of State Health Services Inspector requests documentation of instruction to workers. It is the licensee’s responsibility to ensure that non-radiation workers are made aware of potential risks and understand the necessity to maintain security over radioactive materials. Non-radiation workers “may” be interviewed by inspectors. That is at the sole discretion of the inspector. This presentation attempts to review information that is pertinent to diagnostic nuclear medicine operation but JC Educational Productions is not responsible for items that may be an issue with individual inspectors. Performance based inspections have the potential to be ambiguous. NOTICE

Human Uses of Radioactive Materials for Diagnostic Studies : 

Human Uses of Radioactive Materials for Diagnostic Studies Your employer is licensed by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to use radioactive materials (RAM) in humans for diagnostic (and in some cases therapeutic) uses. A human use RAM license is only issued after the facility management has provided information to the DSHS concerning its physical location and specific restricted areas within that facility that have been designated for RAM uses. Additionally, the RAM license application contains the Operation, Safety and Emergency Procedures that are consistent with RAM operations under the license. These procedures detail the entire radiation safety program such as management and oversight of RAM activities, receipt and disposal of RAM, contamination control and methods of assuring that members of the general public are not exposed to levels of radiation above safe limits established by the DSHS. Diagnostic nuclear medicine operations are generally safe because the radioactive drugs administered to patients are very safe. Technologists have training in there safe uses and a RAM license is only issued if the physician authorized therein meets training requirements specified by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). That means that the people working with these materials should know what they are doing and workers outside of the restricted area should not be at risk.

Although human use RAM facilities do not utilize “dangerous” quantities of RAM, there is a lot of concern for security of all RAM. Naturally, there are heightened concerns about security in all aspects of our nation. Whether appropriate or not for the small and safe quantities of RAM used in diagnostic nuclear medicine, it is a fact that these types of concerns will not fade away. They may only become more strict. That is the world we live in today so, as professional workers, every member of a health care team must pay attention to security issues. What must be secured? All RAM and all areas that could possibly be contaminated must be secure. If the entrance to a room, cabinet or other container is labeled with a “Caution Radioactive Materials” or “Caution Radiation Area” sign, do not enter those areas if a trained radiation worker or an authorized physician user (APU) is not present. NEVER Touch any container that has a RAM label on it. There is no reason to be afraid of these doses at your facility as long as you understand where or what is off limits to you. Persons specifically trained in radiation safety are the only individuals allowed to “frequent” restricted areas or handle radioactivity. : 

Although human use RAM facilities do not utilize “dangerous” quantities of RAM, there is a lot of concern for security of all RAM. Naturally, there are heightened concerns about security in all aspects of our nation. Whether appropriate or not for the small and safe quantities of RAM used in diagnostic nuclear medicine, it is a fact that these types of concerns will not fade away. They may only become more strict. That is the world we live in today so, as professional workers, every member of a health care team must pay attention to security issues. What must be secured? All RAM and all areas that could possibly be contaminated must be secure. If the entrance to a room, cabinet or other container is labeled with a “Caution Radioactive Materials” or “Caution Radiation Area” sign, do not enter those areas if a trained radiation worker or an authorized physician user (APU) is not present. NEVER Touch any container that has a RAM label on it. There is no reason to be afraid of these doses at your facility as long as you understand where or what is off limits to you. Persons specifically trained in radiation safety are the only individuals allowed to “frequent” restricted areas or handle radioactivity. SECURITY

Radioactive Material Caution Sign : 

Radioactive Material Caution Sign

Labeled Items That Contain Radioactive Material : 

Labeled Items That Contain Radioactive Material

If a nuclear pharmacy delivery person brings in a RAM shipment and nuclear medicine personnel are not on duty, what should you do? First and foremost, the package will not hurt you. Nuclear pharmacy delivery personnel have been instructed on US Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Material transport regulations. The DOT has extremely strict regulations on how these packages are transported, the security of the delivery containers and levels of radiation that can be detected from exterior surfaces of the delivery container. However, the container does contain radioactive patient doses and should be secured at all times from unauthorized persons. ONLY TRAINED NUCLEAR MEDICINE PERSONNEL OR AN APU ARE AUTHORIZED TO RECIVE OR TOUCH THAT CONTAINER. If the technologist is not on duty, the delivery person should have a key or know the combination to the door lock for the room in which RAM is to be stored. If the delivery person cannot locate a key or if the lock fails to open for any reason, instruct that person to leave the package in a locked closet, cabinet or other secure location. Call the RSO, another APU or the technologist immediately and do not allow any non-radiation worker or patient to have access to the package. : 

If a nuclear pharmacy delivery person brings in a RAM shipment and nuclear medicine personnel are not on duty, what should you do? First and foremost, the package will not hurt you. Nuclear pharmacy delivery personnel have been instructed on US Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Material transport regulations. The DOT has extremely strict regulations on how these packages are transported, the security of the delivery containers and levels of radiation that can be detected from exterior surfaces of the delivery container. However, the container does contain radioactive patient doses and should be secured at all times from unauthorized persons. ONLY TRAINED NUCLEAR MEDICINE PERSONNEL OR AN APU ARE AUTHORIZED TO RECIVE OR TOUCH THAT CONTAINER. If the technologist is not on duty, the delivery person should have a key or know the combination to the door lock for the room in which RAM is to be stored. If the delivery person cannot locate a key or if the lock fails to open for any reason, instruct that person to leave the package in a locked closet, cabinet or other secure location. Call the RSO, another APU or the technologist immediately and do not allow any non-radiation worker or patient to have access to the package.

Located in your facility is a “Notice to Employees” sign. Read the sign and understand its contents, know where it is located so that you can always refer to it if needed. Also posted must be either a copy of the facility RAM License, the procedures that govern that license, DSHS regulations as they pertain to the safe uses of radiation, any Notices of Violations with regards to the facility’s RAM License and responses to those violations. It is also acceptable to post a notice of where these items may be located. Again, if ever in doubt, ask an authorized physician, the Radiation Safety Officer or the nuclear medicine technologist. : 

Located in your facility is a “Notice to Employees” sign. Read the sign and understand its contents, know where it is located so that you can always refer to it if needed. Also posted must be either a copy of the facility RAM License, the procedures that govern that license, DSHS regulations as they pertain to the safe uses of radiation, any Notices of Violations with regards to the facility’s RAM License and responses to those violations. It is also acceptable to post a notice of where these items may be located. Again, if ever in doubt, ask an authorized physician, the Radiation Safety Officer or the nuclear medicine technologist. Notices to Employees

It is the responsibility of the facility Radiation Safety Officer to assure that working conditions are safe. That is the person to whom any questions or concerns should be addressed. The RSO may refer you to the nuclear medicine technologist, another Authorized Physician User or the facility’s Licensed Medical Physicist. It is also appropriate to refer to DSHS regulations in Part 25 of the Texas Administrative Code. Those regulations may be reviewed on any on-line computer. Search for Department of State Health Services. Go to its home page and look for the search box at the top right side of the page. Type in “Radiation Control” and click “search”. On the front of the Radiation Control Home page is a box on the right side that begins with “Application\Forms”. Toward the bottom of that box is “Rules\Regulations” click on that and you can scroll down the page and see all of the regulation pertaining to uses of radiation. : 

It is the responsibility of the facility Radiation Safety Officer to assure that working conditions are safe. That is the person to whom any questions or concerns should be addressed. The RSO may refer you to the nuclear medicine technologist, another Authorized Physician User or the facility’s Licensed Medical Physicist. It is also appropriate to refer to DSHS regulations in Part 25 of the Texas Administrative Code. Those regulations may be reviewed on any on-line computer. Search for Department of State Health Services. Go to its home page and look for the search box at the top right side of the page. Type in “Radiation Control” and click “search”. On the front of the Radiation Control Home page is a box on the right side that begins with “Application\Forms”. Toward the bottom of that box is “Rules\Regulations” click on that and you can scroll down the page and see all of the regulation pertaining to uses of radiation. Rights of Workers

Radiation Control Home Page : 

Radiation Control Home Page

Safety Concerns : 

Safety Concerns Located in the same box, on the Radiation Control Home page, is an icon labeled “Complaint Process”. You work in a professional medical work environment. Professionally trained individuals follow procedures that have been accepted by the TDSHS. TDSHS inspectors visit all licensed facilities on a periodic basis to assure that license conditions and regulations are followed. Radiation workers take their work seriously and understand radiation safety practices. The correct way to address a safety concern is to ask questions. Asking questions is intelligent. It is the only way to learn, You have not been trained in radiation safety issues so it is not unusual to have questions. The nuclear medicine technologist, an APU or your facility’s Licensed Medical Physicist will gladly answer any question. However, you have a right, as a worker in a facility that uses RAM, to file a complaint if you have safety concerns. It is “professional” to only lodge a complaint if it is realistic and if you have exhausted all appropriate avenues to satisfy your safety concerns.

Slide 13: 

This has been a JC Educational Productions Informational CD. We hope that the information provided will help you pass the following test.